Otters

Otters class at Heytesbury Primary School near Warminster, Wiltshire is a mixed foundation stage and year 1 class.

The class ranges in age from 4 to 6 years. The main class teacher is Mrs Fulop who teaches on Monday to Thursday. Miss Rogers is a teaching assistant who works Monday to Friday. In addition the children are taught music and singing on Thursday afternoons by a specialist music teacher, Mrs Bourne.

In Otters class we believe that young children learn best when they are active and having fun.

In foundation stage the curriculum begins by focusing on social, emotional, communication and physical skills as the children mature the curriculum evolves to include reading, writing, maths and computer skills. History, geography, and creative skills are taught within termly topics. The younger children in the class learn through adult-led playful activities in small groups or through the child’s own self-chosen activity. These children benefit from the small class size as their teachers are able to know the children very well and to include the individual child’s interests in the curriculum.

Year 1 children enjoy both, more formal learning in ability groups and structured play based activities. All the children are encouraged to succeed by meeting challenges through-out the year. We make full use of our bright classroom and safe secure outside area. In addition, Otters children often learn outside on our playing fields or in the quiet beautiful surrounding of our entrance garden. We also have regular planned trips around the village and into the countryside e.g. to investigate numbers, find shapes in the environment, practice handling money in the local post office or investigate mini-beasts and plants.

Highlights of previous years in Otters Class include making a life-size guy, wheeling him through the village to the old round house and locking him up until bonfire night. The Christingle service starring the Otters class is a proud and heartfelt moment for both parents and children. In the spring we begin to think of the school garden and planting. Cooking and eating our own produce is very satisfying.